Telechelic polymers have found utility in making adhesives, sealants, coatings, films and fibers. These polymers have typically been prepared from a dilithium initiator. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,393,843 and 5,405,911. For example, reaction of two equivalents of an alkyllithium reagent, such as sec-butyllithium, with a compound having at least two independently polymerized vinyl groups, such as isomeric divinylbenzenes or isomeric diisopropenylbenzenes, generates a dilithium initiator. Addition of an anionically polymerizable monomer, such as 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, or styrene, affords a polymer chain, with living anions on each of the two termini. This dianion can then be quenched with various functionalizing agents, to afford a telechelic polymer. However, these functionalization reactions are often inefficient, due to the formation of physical gelation phenomena that produce severe mixing problems (see L. Weber, Makromol. Chem., Macromol. Symp., 3, 317 (1986) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,393,843 and 5,478,899).